It was just a Lie
by Myra2003
Summary: Post The Last Temptation. Season 7 episode 19. Cameron returns to the hospital and runs into House. Both realize each other was right, they are both damaged and the world they live in is twisted. A secret is revealed.


Note: This is post 7.19 The Last Temptation. I wanted to write House/Cameron. I know there are many Huddy fans, but I always preferred House and Cameron more. So if you like this start, there can be more! If not, I may keep it as a one shot. Enjoy and please review.

Chapter 1

House limped forward, heading to meet his Diagnostic team. He had no desire to see Cuddy. The pain was still there, he was miserable. He'd told Wilson he loved being miserable and was happier without Cuddy. It was true. Everyone lied but that time he'd been honest with Wilson. With Cuddy, there had been happy moments, but other times he felt as if he were an imposter: pretending and trying to be the perfect man for Cuddy.

He wasn't good enough for her. Good enough for anyone. Damaged goods. With her, he'd tried harder than he ever tried to forge a connection with a human since his infarction. The pain was back in full force, this time he didn't snipe though, he was mellower. Realizing he was no longer young. He was middle aged and the bitter, old House was gone to a tamer but just as miserable version. This time his misery festered under the surface though.

Turning the corner, he headed to the pharmacy and stopped to get his refill of vicodin thanks to the good graces of Dr. James Wilson. As he popped a few pills he felt eyes watching him then turned, scanning. A brunette woman watched him, a small and coy smile on her lips. The blue eyes danced.

"Cameron," House said. It's as if he flashed back in time to when he first hired the naïve, clingy young woman. Time froze and he raised a brow.

"I thought you were gone for good or have you heard that your ex is now a man whore?"

"House," Cameron gently said, eyes sweeping across him. "I am gone. I'm not coming back. I came here to talk to Robert. There's something he should know."

"If it is so important why do you keep staring at me?" House asked, voice low. Honestly he felt disconcerted to see her. Much had changed since he last saw her.

"I couldn't resist," she smirked. "I thought I'd never see you again. Perhaps you'd OD or get fired. I never thought I'd come back, but I lied about something and have to make it right."

Her pale face was still beautiful, but untouchable. As he felt no one could breach his defenses. After Cuddy… He nearly cursed her. Part of him still loved her and wished they could make it work, but he was a realist. Cuddy and him would never work. They were a failed history and should have never tried.

"You lied?" he scoffed, "I don't believe it."

"People change House. I have changed. Well, maybe everyone does not change. You seem to be the same."

"I slept with Cuddy," he told her, gauging her reaction.

She laughed. "Yes and I slept with Foreman."

His eyes were deadly serious. "I was with Cuddy, Cameron. We broke up. Back on vicodin. I am miserable, which would mean you're right, I have not changed and never will. Go find Chase."

Turning, he was about to leave but Cameron followed him. "House, you can't just drop a bombshell on me like that and walk away. You and Cuddy? I shouldn't' be surprised, but doesn't that mean you have the ability to be happy?"

"It failed," he simply said. "Don't think you can waltz back in here and heal me or anything. I am quite happy without Cuddy and my little white pills."

"Why did Cuddy break up with you?" she asked pointedly instead.

"I don't want to talk about it. The next step is to forget your girlhood crush on me and grow up. Move on from here. It was better, wiser that you left and moved on when you left. Everyone here is poison. Your ex husband can't keep a relationship or keep it in his pants, Thirteen euphonized her brother, Taub is divorced, Cuddy has unrealistic expectations that no man could keep and Foreman is like me."

Something changed about House. Cameron realized he was miserable, but honest. He had nothing left to hide. Never had he been so honest and open with her. Part of her told her to run and leave House alone. Last time she tried to be there for him he coldly refused.

_"Sorry, no," Cameron told him from across the table, "I have one evening with you, one chance, and I don't want to waste it talking about what wines you like or what movies you hate. I want to know how you feel about me." _

_House didn't try to lighten the blow. "You live under the delusion that you can fix everything that isn't perfect. That's why you married a man who was dying of cancer. You don't love, you need. And now that your husband is dead, you're looking for your new charity case. That's why you're going out with me. I'm twice your age, I'm not great looking, I'm not charming, I'm not even nice. What I am is what you need. I'm damaged."_

"You are not poison, House. You like to think that because you hate yourself. You cannot conceive," Cameron continued, "why anyone would care for you. That's why you pushed me away when I loved you. To get back at you, I had sex with Chase. I came to love him, but everything I did, I did for you. Twisted right? It wasn't just you and Chase. It was me. I felt sorry for me too." She took a breath. "I did therapy. Your assessment of me was correct. I am damaged and not perfect. You were right. I always knew you were which is why I backed you."

"Is this the same Cameron?" House asked, "I am not always right," he softly told her, thinking back to Cuddy. "Not always logical. Cuddy and I would have been together a year and I blew it."

"She's a bitch," Cameron muttered with surprising disdain that made House gape at her. "Really, I was no different. I thought I could fix you, so did she. Wilson told me she broke up with you because you were back on Vicodin. A stupid and easy reason to give up. I don't care if you are on vicodin House. Everyone has addictions and you are an addict so it was logical you would relapse."

"You are feisty now," House commented, "harder and more no nonsense. I like that. Therapy must be working."

"God," Cameron laughed, "I sure hope so for $100 an hour."

To his surprise, House smiled. It had been good to see Cameron. He was curious what she'd lied about but found puzzles didn't excite him, as much anymore, they were easy to follow. His eyes swept to her keys in her hand and he saw a keychain with a picture of a child on it. A girl with light blonde hair.

Then it made sense. Cameron had spawned. The child looked like the spitting image of Chase. That's why she had come back. It made sense and his eyes narrowed.

"Go find Chase," he told Cameron, "and tell him he has a spawn."

Cameron's mouth dropped open, her eyes incredulous. She opened her mouth to say something and House turned and left, feeling satisfied with the exchange.

TBC?


End file.
